Speer Fund

SYNOD OF THE MID-ATLANTIC

SPEER FUND

SOURCE AND PURPOSE OF FUNDS

The Speer Fund Committee of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, through the generosity of the George I. and Lizzie F. Speer Memorial Fund and New Castle Presbytery , is mandated to develop and fund projects throughout the Synod and its churches that address the root causes of poverty by:

1.   Helping the poor and the oppressed gain power over and take responsibility for their own lives;

2.      Encouraging all persons to explore whether their actions deliberately, or inadvertently, contribute to such poverty and oppression;

3.      Working to change those patterns where they are discovered.

An important corollary is to help transform the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), its self-understanding and its relationship to the community, so that it might be more faithful to its calling.

WHO MAY APPLY

Only Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) related organizations within the geographical bounds of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic (except those within New Castle Presbytery ) will be considered. “Presbyterian-related” means:

¨      A local Presbyterian (U.S.A.) session or congregation;

           ¨      A presbytery related to the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic;

           ¨      The Synod of the Mid-Atlantic or one of its organizations;

           ¨      An ecumenical body of which the Synod, a presbytery, or a Presbyterian congregation is an active participant;

¨      Some combination of the above.

TYPES OF PROJECTS TO BE FUNDED:

The Speers’ bequest directs the Speer Fund Committee to fund those projects, which support ministries of development. Such ministries rely on the collective strength of people, encouraging them to own and to be a part of the decision-making process. The projects will focus on the strengths and assets of low-income communities and people. They will foster the development of both human and financial resources for neighborhood revitalization. Examples of Ministries of Development may include:

·        Community development;

·        Training or job placement associated with transitional housing;

           ·        Cooperative enterprises such as worker-owned businesses;

           ·        Voter registration and education;

           ·        Self-help programs e.g. tutorial programs, life skills training and/or job training;

           ·        Advocacy efforts congruent with the aims of the Bequest (See Source and Purpose of Funds).

The typical grant is between $2,000 and $5,000. It is expected that projects raise substantial resources (dollars and in-kind) from other, especially, local resources. Proposals should have clearly defined and measurable goals.

Evaluations of Projects:

Projects will be evaluated based on the attached criteria included as page 5 of this package.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications must be received no later than September 30, 2008

Grant awards will be announced in December 2008

PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS.

1.      Projects receiving Speer grants will receive ½ of their award at the beginning of the grant period. The second ½ of the award will be sent if and when a status report (due May 15, 2009 ), indicating the project is meeting its stated goal, is received.

2.      Projects should begin within six (6) months of receipt of the award. Normally, all Speer Fund Grants for a given year shall be spent by the end of the year. If there are reasons funds cannot be spent wisely by the end of the year in which they were received, the project should request permission to carry funds over into the next calendar year.

3.      Normally a member of the Speer Fund Committee will make a site visit to the project sometime during its operation. Grantees are obligated to assist the committee member in arranging such a site visit at a mutually agreeable time.

4. A status report is required at four months (due May 15, 2009 ). Without a status report the second payment for the year will not be disbursed. Reports must include how the funds were expended in the program for client services.

5.      A final report evaluating the use of Speer Funds is required by January 31, 2010. Applicants who are approved for 2010 funding will not receive their award until the 2009 final report for the previous year has been received.

CRITERIA

The Speer Fund Committee will use the following criteria to rank proposals. Each application must:

1)                 Target persons with income at or below 80 percent of the median for their area.

2)                 Address the root CAUSES of poverty, not the effects, such as:

a.      Lack of basic education

b.      Lack of daycare, healthcare, etc. for children which prevent parent(s) from working

c.      Lack of marketable skills

3)                 Contain a clearly stated mission statement.

4)                 Have specific, measurable objectives related to the needs addressed,

a.      Demonstrate that project objectives are achievable in a defined period of time

b.      Document that Speer funds, alone or in combination with other funds on hand or guaranteed, are sufficient to do the project and identifies their funds

5)         Demonstrate that Presbyterians will be closely involved in operation of the project; e.g. church organization and boards, entire church(s), organizational unit(s) of Presbytery.

6)        Have a provision for internal audit; such audit is done at the end of each program year and submitted with report to Speer Fund.

a.      Measure outcome such as improvement in specific areas related to the program objectives

b.      Note areas needing improvement, and if additional Speer Funds are requested, states how identified improvements can be made

7)               Seek to involve the beneficiaries of service in developing and implementing the project.

8)               Must be used for client services. Funds may not be used for capital needs but should be used to leverage other sources for funding. Services must be for recipients living within the bounds of the Synod.

OTHER POLICY GUIDELINES

In addition to all the above, the Committee will be guided in its deliberations by the following considerations:

1)       We will seek to fund those projects that promise the greatest impact—the most good for the most people.

2)                  All contact between projects seeking funding and Speer Committee members should be initiated by Committee members. That is to say, Committee members should not be “lobbied” by projects in their areas.

3)                  Ministries of compassion (such as food banks, clothing closets, crisis response centers and shelter projects) that do not include programs that move beneficiaries towards self-sufficiency will not be considered.

4)                  Normally, Speer Fund will not consider or fund Habitat for Humanity. Possible exception would be a church making a first venture into community ministries.

5)                  The Speer Fund makes grants to sponsors of projects. No project will be awarded grants for more than 3 years.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2009

SPEER FUND

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

I. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Please provide all of the information requested. The project title may reflect the organization, the purpose, target group, or area in which the project is to occur.

II. Narrative Description

Please provide the information requested concisely. The space allotted for each item may be adjusted provided all the information is contained on a single page in the format given. If desired, an additional narrative description of the project may be attached on no more than one single spaced 8 ½ x 11 page. Do not use a font size of less than 12 for any of this information.

III. Project Specific Budget:

Please provide all of the information requested. No project will be considered without a detailed budget.

NO PROPOSAL WILL BE CONSIDERED UNLESS ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED

COMPLETED APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE:

A fully completed Speer Fund Application.

A project specific budget as outlined in the application.

Although not required, letters of endorsement from sponsoring organizations or recipients may be attached.

ALL DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED MUST BE COPY READY.

No funding will be provided for any program for more than 3 years. The maximum grant for any one year is $5,000.00.

6. APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 30, 2008 .

Please read the guidelines before filling out the application. Pay special attention to the payment schedule on page four. Please share guidelines with all responsible parties.

APPLICATION MUST BE TYPEWRITTEN.

2 0 0 9

SPEER FUND APPLICATION

I.        GENERAL INFORMATION

A.         PROJECT TITLE:

B.         PROJECT CONTACT PERSON - IF THE PROJECT IS AWARDED FUNDS, ALL GRANTS WILL BE DISBURSED THROUGH THIS PERSON:

Name (Mr., Mrs., Ms.)                                                                                                                          _______

Contact Person’s Title

Contact Person’s Email Address__________________________________________________ __

Organization Name____________________________________________________________ __

Street Address                                                                                                                     ______________

City _________________________________ State                 Zip                                         _______

Office Phone (      )_________________________    Home Phone (     )               ______________

Organization’s Email Address____________________________________________________ __

Organization’s Website____________________________________________________________

C.         ARE YOU A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION?    YES     NO

                                If "yes" check one of the following:        501 (c)  Church

D.         AMOUNT OF SPEER FUNDS REQUESTED $

E.         SPONSOR ORGANIZATION:

Church or Presbytery Name

Street Address



City______________________________ State_____ Zip

Telephone (____) ______-                               __

Email address _____

Presbytery

F.        HAS THIS PROJECT RECEIVED PRIOR SPEER FUNDING? Yes      No



                                If yes:    Dollar Amount                                        Year Received







G.        SIGNATURE OF AN OFFICIAL OF                   SIGNATURE OF AN OFFICIAL OF

               SPONSOR’S ORGANIZATION:                       APPLICANT’S ORGANIZATION:

Name: ________________________              Name:________________________

Title: _____________________ _____                  Title: __________________________

Date:    _________________________                  Date: __________________________

H.   LIST BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF PROJECT & CHURCH AFFILIATION

I.   PLEASE DESCRIBE TO WHAT EXTENT BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR PROGRAM ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

J. IN WHICH WAYS ARE SPONSORING CHURCHES INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION I.E BY PROVIDING VOLUNTEER SERVICES, SERVING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ETC.

II. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

             A. PROJECT’S PURPOSE (Why it is important.)

B. PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES (What the project will accomplish.)

C. STATE HOW THE PROJECT MEETS THE CRITERIA OF THE SPEER FUND

III.              PROJECT SPECIFIC BUDGET

No project will be considered without a detailed budget including the following information (Attach):

A.      Income

1.       ITEMIZED LIST OF GRANTS INCLUDING FUNDS REQUESTED FROM SPEER FUND (Indicate if funds are definite, conditional or pending and give dates the grant funding is anticipated to begin).

2.       CONTRIBUTIONS (IN KIND OR MONETARY) TO BE MADE BY THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION

3.       ANY OTHER SOURCE OF INCOME

B.      EXPENSES (Give detailed line item expenses)

IV.      PAYMENT SCHEDULE & RESPONSIBILITIES OF RECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS.

A.   Projects receiving Speer Grants will receive the award at the beginning of the grant period.

                   B.   Projects should begin within six months of receipt of the award.  Normally, all Speer

                         Fund Grants for a given year shall be spent by the end of the year. If there are

                         reasons Funds cannot be spent wisely by the end of the year in which they are

                         received, then the project should request permission to carry funds over to the next

                         calendar year.

C.   Normally a member of the Speer Fund Committee will make a site visit to the project during its operation. Grantees are encouraged to assist the committee member in arranging such a visit at a mutually agreeable time.

D. A status report for the period January 1 – April 30 is required at four months (due May 15, 2009 ). Without a status report an application for the following year will not be considered.

E. A final report evaluating the use of the Speer Funds is required by January 31, 2010. Applicants who are approved for 2008 funding will not receive their award until

the final report from the previous year has been received.

RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION TO:

SYNOD OF THE MID-ATLANTIC

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ( U.S.A. )

ATTENTION: SPEER FUND COMMITTEE

3218 CHAMBERLAYNE AVENUE

RICHMOND , VIRGINIA 23227

(800) 743-7670

FAX (877) 259-4441

APPLICATION DEADLINE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2009